Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis Support Group

Crohn's disease is a systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown cause, that results in chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, and can also cause complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract. There is no known medical or surgical cure for Crohn's disease, but there are many medical...

Relationships?

I was just curious if anyone of you have noticed or experienced a change in friendships since being sick?
2 people that I would of classified as good friends when I got sick are no longer in my life. Its a good thing in its own right because the stress of both relationships where not healthy.
But just wondering if you noticed a change in friends that were close and then no longer come around or are not in your life now since being sick?

I am very sorry to hear that your friends have deserted you in such a time of their much needed help &amp; support for you! Mine have been just the opposite, call more, offer there help in anyway they possible can. If I asked them, they would be there for me in a heat beat! I am a hair stylist and my customers ALL have offered there help if I needed or wanted them too!

Even though I live in the mid-west, if there is anything I can do for you, I sure would try !

I am new here, Just got diagnosed Aug. 7th with severe UC. Been quite a ride so far, and still have the up hill battle, but at least now I know what I am dealing with!

Seriously, If there is anything I can do to support, help, just listen, I am here :)

I have lost relationships because of my UC, but not friendships. I think that my experience is the opposite of yours. I have pushed my friends away.

I pushed them away because I didn't want to bring them down or seem as if I was just complaining to complain. Even though people would tell me if I needed help or needed to talk they were there, I rarely took them up on their offers.

I also pushed people away because they sort of forget that you are sick after awhile. It's irritating for someone to say to you, &quot;Oh, you're still sick? I didn't know!&quot; And I always think, did I ever tell you I was well???

As far as relationships, I've noticed that people are either unsupportive or don't know how to address the illness/can't tolerate seeing someone they love being so sick.

I don't feel like I have lost any friendships, but it hard to maintain relationships when you don't feel well enough to hang out. One thing I have noticed is that people know you are sick, but I think they think you just have a bad case of diarrhea and that you'll be fine. I don't think people get the severity of the disease. I have UC and it isn't something people have heard of, and when you say something generic like &quot;colitis&quot; I think they think it is what their uncle or another person they know has, and don't take it seriously. A lot of people have &quot;colitis&quot;, but of course it is totally different than UC. I find this hard to deal with. Because if I am sick, dammit, I want people to understand! :)

I have spent so many years trying to hide it. Now I can't hide it anymore. So, I don't care. Be supportive or get lost. I did not ask for this or bring it on myself. The people who really love me are still here. They may not always understand- but they're still here.

the type of friends that dont want to know you now you are sick are just not true friends, true friends stand by each other when you need support, you dont have to look for friends, true friends will find you and stick around no matter what,
it is the same for a partner too, if you have someone close, but they tend to shy away, they dont have true &amp; deep feelings for you, but if someone sticks by you through thick &amp; thin, that is deep meaningful love &amp; trust.

A friend sent this to me..As far as I can see, grief will never truly end.It may become softer overtime, more gentleand some days will feel sharp.But grief will last as long as Love does - ForeverIt's simply the way the absence of your loved onemanifests in your heart. A deep longing accompaniedby the deepest Love some days. The heavy fog mayreturn and the next day, it may recede.Once again, it's...

I have my maxed amount of epidural shots of my cervical DDD....(and no one cares about my lumbar DDD)..... I've done physical therapy, muscle relaxers, Amitriptyline, Nortryptiline, desipramine.....narcotics... So I decided to go to a spine specialist and they have me on Gabapentin. Its been two weeks and it did nothing for my lumbar ever... but it did seem to help my cervical and arm/hand pain...

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